Agricultural header with constant reel to cutter relationship

ABSTRACT

A header for an agricultural vehicle includes: a header frame; a flexible cutter supported by the header frame and including a plurality of cutting edges; a reel including a plurality of reel sections movably supported by the header frame, each of the reel sections including a plurality of tines and being independently movable from the other reel sections; and at least one rigid link connecting the flexible cutter to one of the reel sections, the at least one rigid link being configured to transmit flexing forces acting on the flexible cutter to the connected one reel section such that a substantially constant separation is maintained between the flexible cutter and the connected one reel section.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to an agricultural vehicle and, morespecifically, to a header for an agricultural vehicle which includesboth a reel and a cutter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An agricultural harvester known as a “combine” is historically termedsuch because it combines multiple harvesting functions with a singleharvesting unit, such as picking, threshing, separating and cleaning. Acombine includes a header which removes the crop from a field, and afeeder housing which transports the crop matter into a threshing rotor.The threshing rotor rotates within a perforated housing, which may be inthe form of adjustable concaves and performs a threshing operation onthe crop to remove the grain. Once the grain is threshed it fallsthrough perforations in the concaves onto a grain pan. From the grainpan the grain is cleaned using a cleaning system, and is thentransported to a grain tank onboard the combine. A cleaning fan blowsair through the sieves to discharge chaff and other debris toward therear of the combine. Non-grain crop material such as straw from thethreshing section proceeds through a residue system, which may utilize astraw chopper to process the non-grain material and direct it out therear of the combine. When the grain tank becomes full, the combine ispositioned adjacent a vehicle into which the grain is to be unloaded,such as a semi-trailer, gravity box, straight truck, or the like; and anunloading system on the combine is actuated to transfer the grain intothe vehicle.

To remove crop material from the field, the header of the combineharvester may be equipped with a cutter, such as a cutter bar assembly,having many sharp cutting elements that reciprocate sidewardly, relativeto a forward direction of travel, to sever the crop material from thefield before entering the feeder housing. The header may also include arotating reel with tines or the like to sweep crop material toward thecutting elements.

To better follow the ground during harvesting, many headers include aflexible cutter bar assembly which can flex during travel of the vehicleto more closely follow the contour of the ground when, for example, thevehicle encounters uneven terrain. To flex, the cutter bar assembly mayinclude one or more flexible segments which carry the cutting elementsand are connected to arms which can move up and down responsively toforces from the ground, which causes flexing of the flexible segmentsand vertical movement of the carried cutting elements.

One particular problem encountered by headers including flexible cutterbar assemblies arises due to the movable nature of the cutting elementsin relation to the tines of the reel. In many configurations, thecutting elements have the ability to flex a significant distance, suchas 3 inches, vertically toward the reel tines; the top position wherethe cutter bar is able to flex can be referred to as the top of the“flex range” of the cutter bar. To avoid the tines being clipped off bythe cutting elements when the cutter bar reaches the top of the flexrange, the tines must be kept, at least, above the top of the flexrange. In order to keep the tines above the top of the flex range so thetines do not get clipped off by the reel during maximum flexure, thereel may be positioned so that the lowest position of the tines is abovethe top of the flex range as the vehicle is harvesting. In such aconfiguration, reel performance may be poor due to the distance betweenthe tines and the cutting elements being too large to efficiently movecrops toward the cutting elements when the cutter bar is at its normaloperating position, e.g., 3 inches below the top of the flex range. Toimprove reel performance, some headers are equipped with reels that canmove up and down responsively to flexure of the cutter bar. Oneparticular problem with such known configurations is that there can be adelay between the cutter bar flexing and the reel moving, which riskssome of the tines being clipped off by the cutting elements, and theconstructions may be complex.

What is needed in the art is a header which can overcome some of thepreviously described disadvantages of known headers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the presentinvention, there is provided a rigid link which connects to one reelsection of a multi-section reel and a flexible cutter so flexing forcesacting on the flexible cutter transmit to the connected reel sectionsuch that a substantially constant separation is maintained between theflexible cutter and connected reel section.

In another exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the presentinvention, there is provided a header for an agricultural vehicleincluding: a header frame; a flexible cutter supported by the headerframe and including a plurality of cutting edges; a reel including aplurality of reel sections movably supported by the header frame, eachof the reel sections including a plurality of tines and beingindependently movable from the other reel sections; and at least onerigid link connecting the flexible cutter to one of the reel sections,the at least one rigid link being configured to transmit flexing forcesacting on the flexible cutter to the connected one reel section suchthat a substantially constant separation is maintained between theflexible cutter and the connected one reel section.

In yet another exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with thepresent invention, there is provided an agricultural vehicle including achassis and a header carried by the chassis. The header includes: aheader frame; a flexible cutter supported by the header frame andincluding a plurality of cutting edges; a reel including a plurality ofreel sections movably supported by the header frame, each of the reelsections including a plurality of tines and being independently movablefrom the other reel sections; and at least one rigid link connecting theflexible cutter to one of the reel sections, the at least one rigid linkbeing configured to transmit flexing forces acting on the flexiblecutter to the connected one reel section such that a substantiallyconstant separation is maintained between the flexible cutter and theconnected one reel section.

One possible advantage of exemplary embodiments provided in accordancewith the present invention is the rigid link can maintain asubstantially constant separation between the flexible cutter and theconnected one reel section reactively to flexing forces acting on theflexible cutter with little, if any, delay.

Another possible advantage of exemplary embodiments provided inaccordance with the present invention is maintaining the substantiallyconstant separation can improve feeding and the ability to pick uplodged crop.

Yet another possible advantage of exemplary embodiments provided inaccordance with the present invention is only the reel section adjacentto a portion of the flexible cutter which is flexing may moveresponsively to the flexing, rather than an entirety of the reel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustration, there are shown in the drawings certainembodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however,that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements,dimensions, and instruments shown. Like numerals indicate like elementsthroughout the drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an exemplary embodiment of anagricultural vehicle, the agricultural vehicle comprising a chassis anda header, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a rigid link and a single reel section of the headerof FIG. 1 when a cutter of the header is in a normal, unflexed state, inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a rigid link and a single reel section of the headerof FIG. 2 when the cutter of the header is in a flexed state, inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there isshown an exemplary embodiment of an agricultural vehicle 10 in the formof a combine harvester which generally includes a chassis 12, a feederhousing 14, and an attachment in the form of a header 100. Typically,the combine harvester 10 will include additional internal systems forthe separation and handling of collected crop material, but theseadditional systems are omitted from view for brevity of description. Itshould be appreciated that the header 100 described and illustratedherein does not necessarily need to be included on combine harvesters,but can be incorporated in other agricultural vehicles such aswindrowers. Further, while the exemplary embodiment of the header 100 isshown and described as a draper header, it should be appreciated thatthe header can be formed, in some exemplary embodiments, as anauger-type header incorporating one or more augers as the crop materialconveyor(s).

The header 100 is coupled to the feeder housing 14 and supported by thechassis 12 of the agricultural vehicle 10. The header 100 has a headerframe 102 and a pair of opposed lateral ends 104, 106. The header frame102 supports one or more flexible cutters 108, shown as a cutter bar,with reciprocating cutting edges 110 to cut crop material as theagricultural vehicle 10 travels in a forward direction, denoted by arrowF. The header 100 may further include a center feed belt 112 or a centerauger that conveys the crop material into the feeder housing 14. In oneexemplary embodiment, the header 100 can include one or more lateral,flexible draper belts 140 that are positioned rearwardly of the cutterbar(s) 108 and travel, i.e. rotate, in opposing directions of travel,denoted by each arrow “T”, in order to convey the crop material inwardlyto the center feed belt 112 and thereby the feeder housing 14. In someexemplary embodiments, the header 100 may include a pair ofcounter-rotating cross augers, rather than the draper belts 140, toconvey crop material laterally inward toward the center feed belt 112.

The header 100 includes a rotating reel 120 with a plurality of reelsections 121A, 121B, 121C, 121D which are each movably supported by theheader frame 102 and include corresponding tines 122A, 122B, 122C, 122Dor the like to sweep crop material inwardly toward the flexiblecutter(s) 108 for cutting as the reel sections 121A, 121B, 121C, 121Drotate. As shown, the reel 120 includes four independently movable reelsections 121A, 121B, 121C, and 121D, with two reel sections on each sideof a center line C extending through the header 100, but it should beappreciated that the reel 120 may include any number of desired reelsections so long as the number of reel sections is greater than one.Each reel section 121A, 121B, 121C, 121D defines a respective reelsection width SWA, SWB, SWC, SWD, the significance of which will bedescribed further herein. One or more of the reel section widths SWA,SWB, SWC, SWD may be different from the others, as shown, or the widthsmay all be equal if desired. In some exemplary embodiments, the reelsection 121A may be connected to the reel section 121B and the reelsection 121C may be connected to the reel section 121D, with the reelsection 121A being flexibly movable relative to the reel section 121Band the reel section 121C being flexibly movable relative to the reelsection 121D so the reel sections 121A, 121B, 121C, 121D can moveindependently from one another.

With further reference to FIG. 1, and referring now to FIG. 2 as well,the header 100 includes one or more rigid links 200A, 200B, 200C, 200Dconnecting the flexible cutter 108 to a respective one of the reelsections 121A, 121B, 121C, 121D. As used herein, the links 200A, 200B,200C, 200D are “rigid” in the sense that forces acting on the links200A, 200B, 200C, 200D will tend to be transmitted through the links200A, 200B, 200C, 200D to the connected components, such as one of thereel sections 121A and the flexible cutter 108 as shown in FIG. 2,rather than the acting forces tending to deform the material of the link200A. In this sense, each link 200A, 200B, 200C, 200D can be formed as aunitary body from a relatively rigid material, such as steel or othermetals, which resists bending when subjected to forces that may beencountered during harvesting; the rigid links 200A, 200B, 200C, 200Dmay be formed, for example, by casting steel into the desired shape. Thesignificance of the rigidity of the links 200A, 200B, 200C, 200D isdescribed further herein.

Referring specifically now to FIG. 2, an exemplary embodiment of one ofthe rigid links 200A is shown connecting the reel section 121A to theflexible cutter 108; it should be appreciated that, in one exemplaryembodiment, the other rigid links 200B, 200C, 200D can be formedsimilarly to the rigid link 200A according to the present invention. Ascan be seen, the rigid link 200A can include a reel arm portion 201which connects to the one reel section 121A and a cutter arm portion 202which connects to the flexible cutter 108; while both the reel armportion 201 and cutter arm portion 202 are shown as having asubstantially straight shape, one or both of the respective portions201, 202 may also be curved, if desired. The reel arm portion 201 andthe cutter arm portion 202 can be connected to one another by aconnecting portion 203 which, as shown, may have a curved shape; in oneexemplary embodiment, the connecting portion 203 may curve rearwardlyfrom the cutter arm portion 202 to the reel arm portion 201. The reelarm portion 201 may connect, for example, to a hub 223 of the reelsection 121A which is connected to a rim 224 of the reel section 121A bya plurality of spokes 225, the rim 224 of the reel section 224 defininga lateral end of the reel section 121A, so movement of the reel armportion 201 causes a corresponding movement of the reel section 121A.Similarly, the cutter arm portion 202 may connect to the flexible cutter108, which may be a cutter bar, so flexure of the cutter bar 108 causesa corresponding movement of the reel section 121A, or vice versa.

With further reference to FIG. 2, and now also referring to FIG. 3, theeffect of the link 200A being rigid is illustrated. Since the cutter bar108 is flexible in response to certain flexing forces acting on thecutter bar 108, which are generally vertically directed forces, thecutter bar 108 has a substantially unflexed state, shown in FIG. 2, whenthe cutter bar 108 does not have any significant vertical forces otherthan gravity acting on the cutter bar 108. As can be seen, when aflexing force, illustrated as arrow FF in FIG. 3, acts on the flexiblecutter bar 108 and causes flexure of the cutter bar 108, as shown inFIG. 3, the cutter bar 108 tends to flex in the direction of the flexingforce FF. If the reel section 121A were to stay in the same position(illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 3) when the cutter bar 108 flexed,the tines 122A of the reel section 121A would be placed in reach of thecutting edges 110 and possibly clipped off the reel section 121A. Due tothe rigidity of the link 200A, however, the flexing force FF acting onthe flexible cutter 108 transmits to the connected reel section 121A toalso cause a corresponding movement of the reel section 121A,maintaining a substantially constant separation S between the flexiblecutter 108 and the connected reel section 121A. In this sense, the rigidlink 200A is configured to transmit flexing forces FF acting on theflexible cutter 108 to the connected one reel section 121A such that thesubstantially constant separation S is maintained between the flexiblecutter 108 and the connected one reel section 121A. The flexing forcesFF acting on the flexible cutter 108 may originate from the rigid link200A or, alternatively, the flexing forces FF acting on the flexiblecutter 108 may originate from the ground or other source. As usedherein, the separation S is “substantially constant” in the sense thatthe distance between the flexible cutter 108 and any part of the reelsection 121A, such as the hub 223, may only change by 1-5% due to slightdeformation of the material of the rigid link 200A when the flexingforce FF transmits through the rigid link 200A; however, in someexemplary embodiments the separation S between the flexible cutter 108and the reel section 121A may not appreciably change due to the link200A being so rigid that the material does not appreciably deform as theflexing force FF transmits through the rigid link 200A. The separation Sbetween the flexible cutter 108 and the connected reel section 121A maybe controlled, for example, by a length and shape of the connectingportion 203 of the rigid link 200A and/or by the respective lengths andangling of the reel arm portion 201 and cutter arm portion 202 relativeto the connecting portion 203.

Since the flexing force FF transmits through the rigid link 200A to thereel section 121A, the corresponding movement of the reel section 121Ashould be almost instantaneous in response to the flexing force FFacting on the flexible cutter 108, allowing the tines 122A to be quicklytaken out of the area where the cutting elements 110 are and which mayallow the reel section 121A to be placed close to the flexible cutter108 to improve reel performance without significantly increasing therisk of the flexible cutter 108 clipping off any tines 122A when theflexible cutter 108 flexes due to the flexing forces FF. Connecting therigid link 200A to both the reel section 121A and the flexible cutter108, therefore, can allow the reel section 121A to near-instantaneouslymove reactively to flexing forces FF which cause flexure of the flexiblecutter 108 using a relatively simple construction and protect the tines122A during flexure of the flexible cutter 108 when the tines 122A arein the top of the flex range when the flexible cutter 108 is unflexed.

To transmit the flexing forces FF through the rigid link 200A, the rigidlink 200A can be pivotably coupled to the header frame 102 so theflexing forces FF cause pivoting of the rigid link 200A, as can be seenfrom comparing FIGS. 2 and 3, to move the reel section 121A responsivelyto flexure of the flexible cutter 108. As shown in FIG. 2, the rigidlink 200A can define and pivot about a pivot axis PA, which may be apivot pin, which is located rearwardly of the draper belt 140. Havingthe pivot axis PA behind the draper belt 140 in combination with thecurved shape of the connecting portion 203 can allow the rigid link 200Ato pivot and transmit the flexing forces FF without interfering withother components of the header 100, such as the draper belt 140, sincethe vertical movement of the cutter arm portion 202 may be less adjacentto the pivot axis PA than adjacent to the flexible cutter 108. To allowfore, aft, up, and down movements of the reel section 121A, the rigidlink 200A may be pivotably connected to, for example, a portion of theheader frame 102 connected to one or more actuators (not shown) whicheffect fore, aft, up, and/or down movements of the reel section 121A,with fore, aft, up, and/or down movement of the connected portion of theheader frame 102 and rigid link 200A causing a corresponding movement ofthe connected reel section 121A.

Referring again to FIG. 1, one of the links 200A (which may be referredto as a first rigid link) connecting one of the reel sections 121A(which may be referred to as a first reel section) to the flexiblecutter 108 and another of the links 200B (which may be referred to as asecond rigid link) connecting another of the reel sections 121B (whichmay be referred to as a second reel section) to the flexible cutter 108may define a link separation distance SD therebetween which is at leastequal to the reel width SWA of the first reel section 121A. Separatingthe adjacent links 200A, 200B by at least the link separation distanceSD equal to the reel width SWA of the first reel section 121A can allowmovement of each of the reel sections 121A and 121B by the rigid links200A, 200B to be independent from each other without the rigid links200A, 200B interfering with movement of the non-connected reel section121B, 121A. The other rigid links 121C, 121D can be similarly separatedby a distance at least equal to, for example, the reel width SWC of thereel section 121C, for similar reasons.

It should be appreciated from the foregoing that exemplary embodimentsof the present invention not only provide for near-instantaneousadjustment of the reel 120 responsively to flexing forces FF acting onthe flexible cutter 108, but can also allow adjustment of the reel 120to only occur in the respective reel section 121A, 121B, 121C, 121Dadjacent to where the flexing of the flexible cutter 108 occurs.Exemplary embodiments of the present invention, therefore, can provide aheader 100 with a reel 120 which can be close to the flexible cutter 108with a relatively low risk of tines 122A, 122B, 122C, 122D being clippedoff by the flexible cutter 108 and with reel sections 121A, 121B, 121C,121D which only adjust responsively to flexing forces FF transmittingthrough a respectively connected rigid link 200A, 200B, 200C, 200D soadjustment of the reel 120 may not occur across the entire reel 120 whenonly a portion of the flexible cutter 108 flexes.

These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art from the foregoing specification. Accordingly,it is to be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes ormodifications may be made to the above-described embodiments withoutdeparting from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It is tobe understood that this invention is not limited to the particularembodiments described herein, but is intended to include all changes andmodifications that are within the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A header for an agricultural vehicle, comprising:a header frame; a flexible cutter supported by said header frame andincluding a plurality of cutting edges; a reel including a plurality ofreel sections movably supported by said header frame, each of said reelsections including a plurality of tines and being independently movablefrom the other reel sections; and at least one rigid link connectingsaid flexible cutter to one of said reel sections, said at least onerigid link being configured to transmit flexing forces acting on saidflexible cutter to said connected one reel section such that asubstantially constant separation is maintained between said flexiblecutter and said connected one reel section.
 2. The header of claim 1,wherein said at least one rigid link is pivotably coupled to said headerframe.
 3. The header of claim 2, further comprising a draper beltsupported by said header frame rearwardly of said flexible cutter, saidat least one rigid link defining a pivot axis located rearwardly of saiddraper belt.
 4. The header of claim 1, wherein said header is configuredas a draper header or an auger-type header.
 5. The header of claim 1,wherein said at least one rigid link comprises a plurality of rigidlinks, each of said rigid links connecting said flexible cutter to arespective one of said reel sections.
 6. The header of claim 5, whereinsaid plurality of reel sections comprises a first reel section having afirst reel width and a second reel section adjacent to said first reelsection, said plurality of rigid links including a first rigid linkconnecting said first reel section to said flexible cutter and a secondrigid link connecting said second reel section to said flexible cutter,said first rigid link and said second rigid link defining a linkseparation distance therebetween which is at least equal to said firstreel width.
 7. The header of claim 1, wherein said at least one rigidlink includes a reel arm portion connected to said connected one reelsection and a cutter arm portion connected to said flexible cutter andsaid reel arm portion.
 8. The header of claim 7, wherein said at leastone rigid link includes a connecting portion connecting said reel armportion to said cutter arm portion, said connecting portion having acurved shape.
 9. The header of claim 8, wherein at least one of saidreel arm portion and said cutter arm portion has a straight shape. 10.The header of claim 1, wherein said at least one rigid link is formed asa unitary body.
 11. An agricultural vehicle, comprising: a chassis; anda header carried by said chassis, said header including: a header frame;a flexible cutter supported by said header frame and including aplurality of cutting edges; a reel including a plurality of reelsections movably supported by said header frame, each of said reelsections including a plurality of tines and being independently movablefrom the other reel sections; and at least one rigid link connectingsaid flexible cutter to one of said reel sections, said at least onerigid link being configured to transmit flexing forces acting on saidflexible cutter to said connected one reel section such that asubstantially constant separation is maintained between said flexiblecutter and said connected one reel section.
 12. The agricultural vehicleof claim 11, wherein said at least one rigid link is pivotably coupledto said header frame.
 13. The agricultural vehicle of claim 12, furthercomprising a draper belt supported by said header frame rearwardly ofsaid flexible cutter, said at least one rigid link defining a pivot axislocated rearwardly of said draper belt.
 14. The header of claim 11,wherein said header is configured as a draper header or an auger-typeheader.
 15. The agricultural vehicle of claim 11, wherein said at leastone rigid link comprises a plurality of rigid links, each of said rigidlinks connecting said flexible cutter to a respective one of said reelsections.
 16. The agricultural vehicle of claim 15, wherein saidplurality of reel sections comprises a first reel section having a firstreel width and a second reel section adjacent to said first reelsection, said plurality of rigid links including a first rigid linkconnecting said first reel section to said flexible cutter and a secondrigid link connecting said second reel section to said flexible cutter,said first rigid link and said second rigid link defining a linkseparation distance therebetween which is at least equal to said firstreel width.
 17. The agricultural vehicle of claim 11, wherein said atleast one rigid link includes a reel arm portion connected to saidconnected one reel section and a cutter arm portion connected to saidflexible cutter and said reel arm portion.
 18. The agricultural vehicleof claim 17, wherein said at least one rigid link includes a connectingportion connecting said reel arm portion to said cutter arm portion,said connecting portion having a curved shape.
 19. The agriculturalvehicle of claim 18, wherein at least one of said reel arm portion andsaid cutter arm portion has a straight shape.
 20. The agriculturalvehicle of claim 11, wherein said at least one rigid link is formed as aunitary body.